April 5, 2013
The attempt here to use sizzle to attract readers is glaringly off-the-mark in terms of what business aviation (the use of small airplanes for business transport) is all about, and also what the closure of nearly 150 air traffic control towers, under government “sequestration,” actually means.
First, the reality is that the majority of businesses using their own aircraft are small or mid-size companies, and most of the time, the passengers on these airplanes are managers and other mid-level employees, not top management. Businesspeople use the aircraft to reach multiple locations quickly, transport equipment that can’t be taken on an airliner, discuss work while in flight without fear of corporate espionage, and for other important reasons.
Equally important, and likewise largely left out of this write up, is a substantive discussion about the function of the towers slated for closure. Air traffic control towers are integral to the nation’s aviation system, which is the safest, largest and most efficient in the world. Additionally, the economic boost provided to communities by towered airports means it’s especially important to keep as many as possible open during these difficult economic times.
Huffington Post readers deserve to know the truth about the value of business aviation, and of having a robust aviation network in promoting economic growth and supporting jobs. It’s unfortunate this write up instead relied on anonymous sources, a sensationalist narrative thread, and readily apparent biases.
Ed Bolen
President and CEO
National Business Aviation Association
View the Huffington Post article “Obama Hits Wealthy On The Runway With Air Traffic Control Tower Cuts.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.